The Grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the place believed for more than 1,700 years to be the site of Jesus’ birth, will undergo a major restoration in the coming months for the first time in 600 years.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land announced the restoration via press release Jan. 23. They are undertaking the project with the cooperation of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Patriarchate and under the auspices of the Presidency of the State of Palestine.
The same Italian firm that recently restored the Basilica of the Nativity, which is above the grotto, will execute the new restoration project. The release said this will ensure “continuity in method, craftsmanship, and artistic sensitivity toward a site of unparalleled sacred symbolism.”
Along with work on the grotto, the restoration will also involve architectural reinforcement to ensure the structure’s stability and symmetry.
Formal plans for restoration and renovation of the grotto began in 2024 when Mahmoud Abbas, the president of Palestine, issued a decree authorizing the project. During his trip to Rome last year, Abbas spoke about the plan both privately with Pope Leo XIV and publicly at the opening of an exhibition about Bethlehem. According to Vatican News, Abbas said that the project is “a sign of great hope and rebirth for the whole Holy Land.”
The oldest church in the Holy Land that remains in use for liturgies, the basilica was originally commissioned by the Emperor Constantine. According to Aleteia, construction began soon after Saint Helen’s trip to the Holy Land, and the original church was completed in 339. It was damaged during political revolts in the 500s, but the Emperor Justinian had it rebuilt, keeping much of the original design intact.
Revered as the place of Christ’s birth by Christians around the world, the basilica is shared between the Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, and Roman Catholic Churches under an arrangement from 1852 known as the Status Quo agreement.
“Through this collective effort [to restore the basilica], the Churches of Jerusalem protect the Gospel heritage entrusted to them and ensure that the faithful of all traditions may continue to venerate the birthplace of Christ with reverence,” the release said. “From Bethlehem, the light of the Nativity continues to illumine the world, bearing witness to the enduring Christian presence in the Holy Land and to the hope that radiates from the sacred cave where the Savior was born.”